


Anya

by GretchenSinister



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: F/M, Past Character Death, mortal/immortal relationship angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-11-01 23:35:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20546135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GretchenSinister/pseuds/GretchenSinister
Summary: Original Prompt: "Why was there no mention of North’s missus in the movie? Because there was an accident (anon can decide what kind) and she is no longer with North. The other Guardians are aware because they were present for her memorial/funeral/what-have-you and have taken great care never to mention her for fear of North’s breakdown.Jack is unaware and asks about her because he knows the legends that humans tell and there’s always a ‘Mrs. Claus’ to make cookies.Cue painful retelling/tears/frustration from North and lots of h/c from the other Guardians.Bonus if the elves were his helpers when Mrs. St. North was still around, and her loss is what made North less patient with them and drove him to the Yetis.Double bonus if the elves make North warm milk and cookies to help in their own way."Right, so this isn’t happy. Also the Man in the Moon is a total douchebag again. Contains your RDA of mortal/immortal angst.





	Anya

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr on 6/13/2013.

One night, as Jack and North sit by the fireplace with mugs of hot chocolate while the Arctic summer sunshine streams in from the windows high on the walls, Jack decides to ask about something that’s happened to cross his mind more and more as the time he’s spent at the Workshop has increased.

“So North. We’re legends, right? And we’re also real.”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Does that mean that all the legends people have are also real?”

“Depends. Lots of different things affect legends becoming spirits. Man in Moon has to find suitable person at right time, already have to have certain number of believers—you protest, but your troubles were as Jack Frost. Had all your powers before, I think, because idea of winter spirit was already big deal for many people. Why do you ask?”

“Well, I never met very many other spirits. I didn’t know if it was because they weren’t there or if it was because they tended to be solitary. I was thinking about it, though, since spending more time at the Workshop. After all, in all the stories about Santa Claus, there’s always a Mrs. Claus, and I haven’t seen her around—” He breaks off when he sees North’s face has fallen into a weary expression of sorrow.

“Not all the stories, Jack. Not enough of the stories. And do they make her important in the stories? No! Never as important as she should be. ‘Mrs. Claus’. Her name was Anya.” North falls silent.

“What—what happened to her? I’ll let it go if you want me to.” Jack says quickly.

“No, you should know. Everyone should know. It might be the only way…” He looks into the fire and begins his story.

“Anya was taking care of her little nieces on Christmas Eve when we met. Though she was in her twenties, something of their belief had gotten into her, and so when I arrived with their presents, she was able to see me, just for a moment. After that moment, she was able to see me ever after. I asked if I could see her again when I was not so busy, and she laughed and said yes. I do not know what I was thinking, but she at least later told me she had just been happy to know there was really magic in the world.

“I did not think there was going to be any romance. After all, she was lovely young lady, I look like an old man and have always been so. So we were very silly for a time. I would bring her gifts, little magical things, telling myself I just wanted to be sure there was always something wondrous in her world, she would always be happy when I visited but never ask me to stay because she thought she was too ordinary to ask the company of an immortal.

“When I did realize I had fallen in love with her, I knew I had to tell her so she could decide if she wanted to see me anymore. But, I thought, why not take biggest risk? I made her a gold ring with rubies and emeralds and, when I confessed my love, I gave her the ring and asked her to marry me.

“She said yes, and that, I believe, is the most wonderful thing I have ever heard anyone say. All she wanted was for everything to be right and proper, even though no one else could see me, and to be able to visit her family now and then. It was not difficult. You may think it seems funny, but Sandy officiated the wedding, and it was clear to both of us that he had the right to do so. To handle situation with her family, she told them she was emigrating to America, and she would write, but might be long time before she could visit—this was when travel was much more difficult. But mail has always been reliable at the Workshop.

“And so I and my still-mortal bride began our lives at the North Pole. For a time, everything was better than it had ever been. Under her guidance, even the elves managed to be useful! I was more inspired with the toymaking; she checked the lists and found more reasons to put children on nice list, so I was able to give more than ever before. Most importantly, she started to find ways to help the children whose circumstances made the kind of things I gave too improbable to appear. Without her I have failed to do as much on that front.

“Through it all we were very much in love. I thought perhaps we would have a child, but maybe that is impossible for mortals and immortals. We laughed when she found her first gray hair in her long brown braid, and maybe I should have worried more than I did, but I thought I had a foolproof plan.

“I began doing all I could to spread stories of Mrs. Claus. She would be legend before she died, and so when she did, Man in Moon would have to bring her back right away. But you do not tell the Moon what to do. And I did not have enough time.

“When Anya was sixty-four, she—she collapsed one day. I did not know what to do. She was confused and could not explain what was happening to her. I carried her to our bed so she could rest, and hoped that all she needed was sleep. Damned fool of an immortal I was, knowing nothing of medicine. She did not wake.” North pauses for a long while, and Jack can see tears glazing his eyes.

“She did not wake. The Moon did not wake her either, but I hoped, I hoped—perhaps there was just a delay! I did not know how that magic worked. Bunny felt my mad hopes. He was the one who came by to force me to give Anya a proper burial. On my own I could not stand to see her placed within the ice…

“The others helped how they could. Sandy still watches my dreams of her very carefully, for even without Pitch they will go back to those dark days and become nightmares on their own. After Anya was gone, I pulled one of my teeth and gave it to Tooth for safekeeping, so that my memories of our forty years would never fade.

“And now…now I still try to encourage stories of Mrs. Claus when I feel I am able. I still hope, you see, though I may be a fool to do so, that if enough people believe in Mrs. Claus—in Anya—as I knew her, Man in Moon will bring her back.

“But maybe there is no Mrs. Claus because Anya was no archetype. She was herself, utterly and wholly. Perhaps Man in Moon could bring me a cookie-baker and letter-sorter that looks like Anya, and does not. Because he knows it is not ‘Santa’s wife’ that I want. I want Anya.

“That is the story, Jack. That is what happened to Anya, sometime Mrs. Claus or Mrs. St. North, but always Anya. No immortal, but a woman with a generous heart and a beautiful laugh and a long brown braid that turned silver. Far better than an old bandit deserved.

“Anya…in whom I will always believe.”

They sit in silence for a long while, the only movements in the room the flickering of the fire and North’s worrying of the ring he now wears on his thumb.


End file.
